Followers of Dariman
Participating Countries: The Merithan City-States Basic Holy Days: Name When Day of the Prophet 39th day after the Spring Equinox Reckoning Day 14th day after the Fall Equinox Festival of Forgiveness Spring Equinox Ascension Day First full moon after Midsummer Country-Specific Holy Days: None Centers of Worship: Center Where Dariman's Tomb Thimixil Temple of the Prophet Daril Shrine of Perfection Hurith Deities: The Creator Preferred Mantles: Air, Conflict, Creation, Earth, Ethereal, Fire, Mental Power, Physical Power, Shadow, Water General Description 650 years ago, the shepherd Dariman walked down from the hills of Daril, and began preaching and prophesizing based on a vision. Dariman preached that heaven could only be acheived through perfecting oneself in this lifetime, and that moreover the perfection required was threefold. A perfection of the body, displaying health, and martial and athletic skill; a perfection of the mind, displaying knowledge and judgement; and a perfection of the soul, displaying obedience to and understanding of the Creator's moral teachings. Previously, the Merithans had followed the Court of a Thousand Gods. The new religon very quickly eliminated the Court's worshippers, primarily through peaceful conversion. Irxatol and Zurix resisted militarily however, and most of populations of the two elder city-states were killed. While there are occasional skirmishes with the Xalar Empire still, worshippers of the Court have not regained a foot hold. Today, the Shepherds of the Followers of Dariman struggle against the followers of the Heavenly Twins, trying to retain their Flocks. But the dichotomous nature of the Heavenly Twins offers a facile and attractive alternative to many. Likewise, the Darilthemag religion offers many indulgent and appealing rites that tempt the Flock away from the rigor and discipline of Dariman. Dariman taught that heaven could only be reached through perfection of the body, preferrably through exercise and military skill, perfection of the mind through meditation and scholarship, and perfection of faith, through the adherence to the moral teachings and rituals of the One God. Dariman's ministry also stressed of the equality of man, and his common worth and worthiness. Dariman's peaceful teachings resulted in the formation of the Kofij games, first held in Zurix, later in Irxatol. After the final expulsion of the Thousand Gods, Dariman placed the games in the Kofij Hills on top of the largest holy site to the Court in Merithan. Some heretics claim that Dariman's death after attending the first Kofij games to be held on the current site was the Court's vengance. By tradition and law, the games are only open to Followers of Dariman. The Followers of Dariman have three major daily religious rites. Prayer, and a reading of the Prophet's teachings in the morning, holy exercise at mid-day, and meditation over the day's events and how the Prophet's Teachings applied at night. Despite the peaceful nature of the Teachings however, the Followers are highly evangelical, religiously intolerant, and very expansionistic. Holy Armies, the only kind supplied by more than one city-state, have skirmished multiple times with the Merithans' neighbors. And even more times amongst themselves. Despite their unified religion, the Followers of Dariman are a fractious lot. Timeline Year Event 278 The Prophet Dariman born. 311 The Prophet Dariman begins preaching. 315 The city-state of Doraxir becomes the city-state of Daril. 316 Arxith converts 319 Expioxth converts 320 Zurix falls to the First Holy Army. 325 Irxatol falls to the First Holy Army. 331 Court of a Thousand Gods holy site in Kofij Hills razed. All Merithan now follow Dariman. 335 First Holy Games (what will later be the Kofij games) held in Zurix. 338 Second Holy Games held in Irxatol. 341 Third Holy Games, First Kofij Games held. Dariman dies on the return trip to Daril. 345 Dariman's Tomb completed. It will be expanded many times in the years to come. 378 Temple of the Prophet completed. One of its holy relics is Dariman's own cradle. 441 Shrine of Perfection built, just outside the new town of Hurith. Detailed Deities The Creator is never depicted in art, or described by Dariman in his Teachings. In fact, the Teachings emphasize that the creator is the only true god, undescribable and unknowable. All other gods are, at best, delusions of the misguided. There are two major sects of the Followers of Dariman, both relating to his untimely death on the road to Daril. The first is the Children of Dariman, who claim that Dariman's successor should have been, and was intended to be, Dariman's own son. The other is the Shepherd's Staff, Dariman's symbol of office, that Dariman handed to one of his companions on his death bed. The north-western city states follow the Children, and the eastern ones the Shepherd's Staff. Hated by both major sects are the follower's of Dariman's Sword, an ecumenical organization that incorporates sword-play into all three rites, and that consistently takes home a disproportinate share of the Kofij trophies. Category: SettingCategory: Religions